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Stamped concrete can also be referred to as textured concrete or imprinted concrete. This concrete finishing techniques mimics the look of wood, stone, tile, or brick. There are a wide variety of patterns and color choices that a homeowner can choose from, a person will find that they are able to mix and match depending on whether they are designing a pool deck, driveway, patio, or walkway. The ability to mix and match makes the architectural elements of your property unique to your home.
An increasing trend for homeowners looking to renovate and upgrade their home is the use of stamped concrete. You can mimic the look of concrete pavers while only paying half the price. Below are some of the pros and cons of concrete stamping so that you can decide if it is the right concrete finish for you. The benefits of stamped concrete There are many benefits to stamped concrete that homeowners need to be aware of when they are choosing a material for their property. Not only is it more affordable than natural stone, pavers, or brick but there is also an unlimited amount of combinations that the homeowner can choose from make their backyard living space exactly what they desire. Not only do they have the ability to create a one-of-a-kind look but the concrete is extremely durable and long-lasting which will add to the property value of their home. A few other options that can be added to your concrete mixture are non slip additive let's create a slightly course surface for around pool areas or in wetter climate. a stamped concrete patio can also be sealed to increase its longevity. The downsides One of the drawbacks of stamped concrete is that many homeowners view it as a project that they could not do themselves. To achieve that high quality finish and desired look a concrete professional is typically called in to make sure that it is done properly the first time. Concrete does need to be periodically resealed once every couple years depending on the climate that you live in. Design elements to consider One reason that property owners are going with stamped concrete is because of the combinations of color and stamp pattern that can be assimilated to create a specific atmosphere in the backyard living space. The color of the concrete can be tied into the landscaping, the outdoor kitchen and other parts of the home. Some of the more popular stamp patterns range from cobblestone, brick or even wood. A few other options that homeowners have gone with our flagstone, slate or fieldstone. Your concrete contractor in Elk Grove will have a few visuals of the stamp patterns for you to look out for you make a choice on which one you want to use. The natural look of imprinted concrete typically pairs well with earthy tones and colors. This can be shades of gray, red hues and russet. Uses of stamped concrete This type of concrete finish can be used anywhere that a concrete slab can be poured. This means that you can have a stamped concrete driveway, a stamped concrete pool deck, patio with stamped concrete and you can tie it all in with stamped concrete walkways and stairs. If you are considering using stamped concrete for your next home renovation project then give the experts a call at Elk Grove Concrete Solutions to schedule a free design consultation with one of our concrete experts. 916-318-5633 It is pretty simple to figure out how much concrete you will need for a project around your home. Regardless of the size you will need to calculate the volume of the concrete needed in cubic yards prior to purchasing the bags or having the concrete delivered. So how much concrete is needed for a 10 ft by 10 ft concrete slab?  To figure out how many cubic yards you will need, multiply the length by the width by the depth. Calculating the depth is the toughest part of finding the cubic yards you will need. The standard thickness of a concrete slab is typically 4 inches. If the particular slab you are pouring will need to withstand very heavy vehicle traffic you should make the slab 5 or 6 inches in depth. For example we will use the 4 inch depth and convert that into feet. This means that you will use the depth of 0.35 feet when you calculate the amount of concrete needed. The equation will look like this 10 x 10 x 0.35
Once you come up with the number you will then divide it by 27, Which is the number of cubic feet in a cubic yard. The amount you will need for a 10 x 10 slab is 1.3 cubic yards, we always add an extra 10% to allow for any slab depth variations or spills that may occur. This is what your typical concrete contractor in Elk Grove does every day. How strong is your 10 x 10 slab Another Factor you will have to consider is the type of concrete needed for your project. Every type of concrete has three main ingredients: cement, water and aggregate such as sand or gravel. It is the proportions of each of these ingredients that determines the overall strength of the slab. For common 10 by 10 residential slabs we would suggest to mix with a capacity of about 4000 lb per square inch. How many bags of concrete will you need for a 10 x 10 slab? If you are completing your own home project you will need to know how many bags to buy at the store. A 60 lb bag will yield .017 cubic yards of concrete, an 80 pound bag will yield .022 cubic yards. So to break this down you would need 78 60lb bags of concrete mix 61 80lb bags of concrete mix which accounts for the extra 10% that we discussed earlier. No matter what concrete project you are performing you can use this calculation to determine the amount of concrete you will need. Is calculating, mixing, pouring and finishing concrete not a DIY project you want to take on? Then contact Elk Grove concrete solutions and we will get the work done for you. 916-318-5633 DIY tips or sealing a concrete floor How do you seal a concrete floor? Concrete flooring is an excellent choice for any home. Especially if you're looking for durability. However, longevity of the floor depends on sealing it correctly being that concrete is porous. Sealing a concrete floor is crucial to avoiding stains from substances such as water, oil, grease and other contaminants. Some other benefits of sealed floors, besides the beauty, is that they are easier to clean. To make sure that the sealer does its job the application process must be done perfectly. The steps that are done, from surface preparation to using the correct application tool will effect the final outcome. How to approach sealing a concrete floor Below is a summary of the steps for sealing a concrete floor
Cleaning the floor To avoid any inconveniences, you should move all of your furniture or other items out of the room. These items will need to be stored for less than a week. Once the room is cleared you will then thoroughly sweep the floor then make sure to double check if there is any remaining. It is recommended that you use mineral spirits to cleanse grease spills. After a visual check to make sure that the floor is clean you will then use concrete cleaner to prepare the floor for sealing. The next step is to rinse the cleaner off, and wait for the floor to dry. If you see any visible cracks you can use concrete repair caulk to fill them. Then you must wait for the concrete caulk to completely dry. Removing the old sealer If your concrete floor has an old sealant then you must wait before applying the new sealant. If you are unsure whether your floor already has a sealant on it or not, you can use water to test this. You do this by pouring one cup of water on the concrete, if the water does not soak into the concrete but instead remains on the surface then you will know that the concrete was previously sealed. If you have determined that there was previously a sealer on the concrete floor and you will use a chemical stripper to remove it. Chemical strippers are acid based so be sure to protect yourself when using it. After using the stripper you will have to let the floor dry for a minimum of 24 hours. Using a sealer There are four types of sealers to choose from: -Epoxy sealer Epoxy sealer are more durable than acrylic sealers because it sits on top of the concrete. Epoxy sealer will protect the concrete floor against stains from grease but they are also difficult to apply. There are also a wide variety of colors and looks you can choose from with this type of sealant. -Acrylic sealers This sealer is typically used for interior floors and are very easy to apply but they do not effectively protect the floor from Grease or oil stains. -Polyurethane sealers This type of sealant is mainly used over other types of sealers. Polyurethane sealant offers UV protection which will prevent the concrete from turning yellow over time. This is usually applied in a thin layer that sits on top of the concrete -Silane sealers You can utilize this type of sealant if you do not want to change the look of your concrete floor. Since this sealer penetrates the concrete, it will not change the gloss or tone of the concrete. The floor will remain that matte gray color we have come to know. Silane sealers are known to last 20 years or more and will protect the floor from deterioration and staining. Applying the sealant
Sealing your concrete floors is the perfect way to increase the lifespan of the floor while also increasing its beauty. The best part is that you can easily seal your floor as a DIY project but it's this is something out of your realm then you should hire an expert! We will seal your floor for you call today! Elk Grove Concrete Solutions Click to call 916-318-5633  Concrete seems to be the material of choice for most homemakers. The reason for this preference may have something to do with concrete’s strength and durability. In addition, the low maintenance requirement of concrete makes for a very good product choice to pave surfaces.
The material is used for almost every type of surface. In fact, you will find many garage floors, porch, and sidewalks are concrete-covered. Concrete patios are also not uncommon. However, while concrete patios are indeed very durable and can last for a very long time, they do deteriorate over a certain period of time. In order to overcome this gradual deterioration caused by time and the forces of nature, a little bit of maintenance is needed to increase the lifespan of your concrete patio as well as keep it looking good. Factors Affecting Quality of Concrete The durability and long-lasting character of your concrete patio depends on the quality of the concrete. And what affects the quality of concrete? There are actually several factors, all of which contribute to the strength and durability of your concrete patio. Here are some of them: * The quality of the concrete mix * Weather conditions during and shortly after pouring * Finishing techniques used Note that there are some mixes for making a concrete patio that are specifically designed to withstand harsher weather conditions. Some are so mixed to make the concrete stronger than others. In addition to types of concrete mixes, the weather during and after pouring the mix may also affect how strong or durable your concrete patio is going to be. For instance, pouring your concrete mix over the area for your patio during cool, humid weather promotes concrete strength. On the other hand, pouring the mix during hot and dry conditions can induce easy weathering of the concrete patio. Another important factor to consider is the technique used in the finishing of the concrete. This is important because it goes to the surface strength of the concrete patio. So if you add water to the finish, your task is made easier but you also bear the risk of chipping and scaling over time. These three things taken together can make the difference between a durable concrete patio and one that gets cracked and chipped after only a year of adverse weather conditions. Remember that the greatest enemy your concrete patio has is the weather. Rain, snow, sleet, hail – all these things contribute to the deterioration of the concrete. The best you can do is to slow down the deterioration by maximizing all the qualities of concrete that make it such a perfect material for use on the patio. And for some added measure, use a coast of sealer on your concrete. This will create a barrier over your concrete patio, which prevents the penetration of water and other foreign substance, which could speed up weathering. Visit concrete patio for more information! Or call now 916-318-5633 Are you considering a remodel for your backyard? A new patio is a great asset for your home to host events, cookouts and camp fires or to just relax and read a book. Are you trying to decide on installing a concrete patio? Here are the best reason to choose a concrete patio when you are looking to remodel your backyard.
Versatility- One of the best reasons to go with a concrete patio for your backyard living space is the versatility that it provides. Other back patio options such as gravel, wooden decks or flagstone are a few other traditional materials that patios are built with. Concrete on the other hand has hundreds, if not thousands of options in regards to color and design. This gives you the option to make your patio unique as well as to customize it to your needs. Cost- The standard cost for a concrete patio is cheaper than a paver patio or wooden deck. However, the more specific you get with your design options the higher the cost will be. Such as specific stamps and colors can be more expensive. Longevity- When it comes to a well kept wooden deck versus a concrete patio the longevity of the material can be similar. Both of these options will require pressure washing and to be scrubbed smooth in order to reseal them. With proper maintenance your patio can last as long as 30 years or more. Design- There are other design options when considering a concrete patio other than color. finish and size. Depending on the feel that you desire we can use rounded edges, additional walkways, extra seating areas, concrete walls and a variety of other accents customize your backyard living space. Additions such as concrete walls can double as extra seats or act as a separator to create differentiated areas making your backyard feel larger. Having matching concrete that ties together the concrete paths, steps and patio together to create an atmosphere. We can discuss all of the different options during your free consultation with a concrete expert. Hopefully the best reasons to go with concrete provided above gave you a guide when considering a new concrete patio to transform your backyard. If you have any question in regards to concrete patios feel free to call Elk Grove Concrete Solutions and we will discuss your options walk you through a free consultation. Click to call 916-318-5633 |
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